McKinleyville man arrested on multiple marijuana related charges

According to a Humboldt County Sheriff's Information Bulletin, dated Feb. 22, 2012:
On Feb. 21, 2012 the Humboldt County Drug Task Force received a telephone call from Oregon State Police Department, regarding a subject named, Keith T. Carpentier age 39. Oregon State Police Department said that they had stopped Carpentier for a traffic violation when he was driving on Interstate 5 near Eugene, Oregon. During their contact of Carpentier, Oregon State Police Department searched Carpentier’s vehicle. Officers discovered 15 pounds of processed marijuana in his vehicle. Carpentier was placed under arrest for possession for sales and transportation of marijuana. Through their investigation with Carpentier, Officers in Oregon learned that Carpentier lived in McKinleyville, California.

Humboldt County Drug Task Force Agents then wrote a search warrant for Carpentier’s residence which was located in the 2200 block of McKinleyville Avenue, McKinleyville. When Officer’s served the search warrant at the residence they discovered a commercial indoor marijuana growing operation. Officers contacted a subject, who they identified as John Paul Krekeler age 49 at the residence. Officers seized 102 growing marijuana plants from inside of the residence that ranged in size from 4 inches to 3 foot in height. Officers located 15 individual one pound bags of processed marijuana in the residence along with approximately 40 pounds of drying marijuana plants that had been recently harvested. Officer located one shotgun and one pistol in the residence. Officers located $19,730 dollars in currency that was seized for asset forfeiture.
Humboldt County Building and Planning Department was contacted and responded to the scene, because of the possible fire hazard caused by the electrical indoor marijuana growing operation. Once the Building and Planning Department arrived on scene they determined that the marijuana growing operation was a possible fire hazard and they then contacted PG&E to have the electricity removed from the residence.

Krekeler was arrested for cultivation and possession for sales of marijuana and was transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility. An arrest warrant will be sent to the Humboldt County District attorney’s Office for Carpentier’s arrest for cultivation and possession for sales of marijuana. This case is still under investigation by the Humboldt County Drug Task Force.